Streets of Oxnard, CA were at the center of a major narcotics hustle bust, courtesy of the Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units, namely VC FOCUS, the bust resulted in the arrest of a 44-year-old man peddling lethal doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The suspect, identified as Germain Shrauger of Oxnard, was caught in the act during a surveillance operation by detectives on March 22, 2024, near 7th Street and Hobson Way. According to a media release distributed on March 28, detectives spied Shrauger making numerous suspected drug deals from his ride before hauling him away and seizing his bounty.

Bagged and tagged during the search were nearly a pound of fentanyl, over a pound of meth plus a wad of cash alleged to be proceeds from drug sales. Shrauger now faces the music with a lineup of felony charges including possession and sale of controlled substances. Meanwhile, his bail is set to a cool $200,000, and his day in Ventura County Superior Court is slated for April 5th.

Fentanyl, the pernicious painkiller turned street assassin, is a synthetic opioid that outguns heroin by fifty times in potency, and just 2mg can snuff out a life. This sting potentially saved 176,500 from meeting their demise. The task force, mashing up regional and federal law enforcement boots on the ground, is bent on strangling the supply line of these poisons into Ventura County, as detailed in the report by Sgt. John Hajducko.

Furthermore, the VC FOCUS fellows have joined forces with Ventura County Behavioral Health in the COAST campaign to turn the tide on overdose deaths and sound the alarm on opioid hazards. For those seeking more intel, or to offer a tip, the unit can be reached at (805) 383-8700, or additional pointers can be sent to [email protected]. Anonymous tippers looking to cash in on busting the bad guys can hit up Ventura County Crime Stoppers, maybe netting a $1,000 reward for their trouble, summarized the report.